Reading Comprehension Challenges Among First-Year Beed Students at Siargao Island Institute of Technology, A.Y. 2023-2024

Reading Comprehension serves as a crucial foundation for academic success, particularly for aspiring educators. Mastering the ability to comprehend complex academic texts is essential. This study delves into the challenges that first-year Bachelor in Elementary Education (BEED) students encounter in reading comprehension, aiming to identify specific difficulties they experience. The researchers employed a quantitative approach using the descriptive survey method for data collection, analysis, and classification. The study was conducted with 55 respondents from Siargao Island Institute of Technology, located at Pob. Brgy 12, Dapa, Surigao del Norte.The first part of the questionnaire gathered respondents’ profiles and was analyzed using count and percentage distribution, while the second and third parts were analyzed using mean and standard deviation. The analysis of variance (ANOVA) was applied to assess significant differences in the factors affecting reading comprehension challenges.Findings revealed significant insights into the reading habits and attitudes of first-year BEED students at SIIT. The majority of respondents, aged between 18 and 19, were predominantly female, and books were the most common reading material available to them. Most students reported reading sometimes. Results indicated a concerning trend in their attitudes towards reading, reflecting a lack of motivation. Data analysis demonstrated that age, sex, reading materials, and frequency of reading significantly influenced reading comprehension.Variables were ranked based on their impact, with vocabulary being the least influential (mean of 3.33), followed by interest in reading (mean of 3.38), fluency in reading (mean of 3.39), and availability of reading resources as the most influential (mean of 3.44). Further analysis indicated no significant difference in the influence of age on the variables. While sex did not show a significant difference in vocabulary and fluency in reading, it significantly impacted the availability of reading resources. The type of reading materials and frequency of reading did not show significant differences in their influence.Regarding correlation, vocabulary and fluency in reading exhibited low correlations across all variables. Availability and interest in reading also showed low correlations when paired with vocabulary and fluency. Interestingly, an inverse correlation was observed between availability and interest when reciprocated. The most challenging aspect of reading comprehension was identified as the availability of reading resources, as indicated by the highest mean score.In conclusion, this study highlights the need for interventions to enhance the reading attitudes and habits of first-year BEED students, particularly by improving the availability of reading resources to support their reading comprehension.